Water towers, TV antennas, parking garages and other structures tend to be ignored within the ubiquitous context of their surroundings, however these oft-overlooked structures can offer amazing opportunities for renovations. Take this water tower turned student housing complex in Jaegersberg, Denmark. This once practical structure was left unused until Dorte Mandrup Arkitekter ApS won a competition to renovate it into a multi-purpose building for student housing and a youth center.

Dorte Mandrup Arkitekter ApS completed this 10-storey youth center in 2006. The top 5 floors are reserved for student housing and feature roomy and bright apartments with multi-faceted protrusions that extend the living space as well as draw more light into the apartments. Daylighting through the extensions brightens the interiors significantly, providing a warm and sunny space with a view of the surrounding lanscape.

The bottom floors are used for a youth center that features several large multipurpose rooms. The youth center utilizes tall windows and colored panels to make the space more playful and alive. Large garage-style doors on the very bottom floor can be raised to open the room to the outdoor playground.

This interesting and practical renovation of a previously unused space shows that renovations can be conducted on virtually any structure with gorgeous results. The tower’s multi-faceted crystal-like protrusions add character to the facade and at the same time open the interior living space with views and light.